Definition
High blood pressure can damage kidneys, while kidney disease can raise blood pressure.
Symptoms
Often symptom-free. Headaches or swelling alone do not establish severity.
How it may be discovered
Repeated blood-pressure readings or kidney disease assessment.
When to seek care
Seek review for persistently high readings. Chest pain, neurological deficits or severe breathlessness require emergency care.
Investigations and tests
Reliable office or home readings, creatinine, potassium and urine albumin.
Reaching a diagnosis
Repeated measurements confirm hypertension; selected patients need investigation for kidney-related causes.
Treatment options
Lower salt intake, suitable activity and individual medication, with kidney function and potassium monitoring.
These kidney guides are educational. Medical kidney disease may require coordinated care with a nephrologist.
Explore this topic further
Continue with related explanations of how the body works and treatment options.